


Home Economics

by honestgrins



Series: To Rely on the Kindness of Strangers [18]
Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Day One - All Human, F/M, klarolineauweek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-11
Updated: 2016-04-11
Packaged: 2018-06-01 14:13:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6523429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honestgrins/pseuds/honestgrins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: Hi! First off I love all your drabbles especially Bucket List! It kind of reminded me of this One Three Hill episode I saw. Anyways I have a prompt! Klaus and Caroline are assigned partners in a class to take care of the (fake) baby together for the whole year. Caroline wasn't so trilled about that at first haha but of course that changes. Bonaus points if you include them acting like a real family lol.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home Economics

"The whole point of home economics is to learn the real life skills that go into managing and maintaining your adulthood. Whether you are married with kids in your own home, or you are single, childless and renting, or any other living situation, you will need to know how to pay your bills, gauge your needs versus your wants, and how to prepare for the rest of your life."

"Yawn," Bonnie muttered, leaning down toward the counter. "I already know how to write a grocery list and pay an electric bill."

"Same," Caroline said with a nod. As kids of single parents, the girls were used to helping out with the errands. "But shh, I don't want my GPA ruined because I can't hear the home ec lecture over you."

Bonnie stuck out her tongue, chuckling at Caroline's perfectly outlined notes.

Their teacher kept speaking. "To help achieve this, you will be assigned your very own living situation to manage your home economics as a year-long project," Ms. James explained. "Yesterday, I had everyone predict their future course of life. Using that information, I have grouped you into pairs to best simulate your future.

"Many of you imagined you would be married with children," Ms. James said, gesturing to the lifelike dolls sitting in carriers at the front of the classroom.

"Some expected to be single, but you'll still be paired as roommates to have a partner in this assignment," she explained. "That said, I'll go ahead and read off the pairs and your living situation."

Caroline's eyes went wide, horrified.

"What's wrong, Care," Bonnie asked.

"I wanted twins," she whispered. "And I told Ms. James I'm up for any opportunity for extra credit."

Bonnie choked down a giggle at Caroline's panicked expression. "You're screwed," she told her friend as Ms. James started reading the assignments.

"Bennett and Donovan, married with no children."

"Gilbert and Lockwood, domestic partnership but not married."

"Mikaelson and Forbes, married with twins."

Caroline really wanted to drop her head on the table, ignore the assignment, and pretend this whole mess never happened. "Kill me," she groaned. "Kill me now."

"And leave me a widower with two mouths to feed?"

She froze at the British accent, turning to scowl at him. "Did you do this on purpose?"

Klaus Mikaelson smiled smugly, holding a baby carrier in either hand. "Yeah, because I'm the one who would request an extra credit baby," he pointed out. "It won't be that bad, sweetheart."

"Don't," she snapped, pointing at him. "It wasn't cute when we were dating, and it's not cute now."

Shrugging, Klaus placed one of the babies on the table in front of her. "I'd beg to differ, but you've been exceptionally stubborn about pitting yourself against me without fail," he said. "Unless you want to come up with an elaborate Parent Trap divorce settlement, though, you'll need to figure out how to work with me."

Caroline narrowed her eyes, knowing he could only reference that movie because she made him watch it a dozen times. "Don't tempt me," she warned. Dealing with a divorce couldn't be more difficult than their real break-up sophomore year.

Tyler had been annoyingly flirtatious with her, and despite her numerous objections to his pick-up schemes while she was dating Klaus, he spread a rumor they hooked up in the woods by the Falls during a party Klaus missed. Rebekah had seen them together that night, and she was convinced of Caroline's guilt - even though Caroline had actually kneed Tyler in the groin when he made a move on her.

Rebekah told Klaus all about it before Caroline even realized she needed to defend herself. He broke up with her in a public fight before school the next day, and Caroline had yet to forgive him two years later.

And now, she had to raise two children with him.

"I'm talking to Ms. James," she spat, standing up.

"Caroline," Klaus insisted, grabbing her arm. "I promise, no ulterior motives. We'll just work together and get a good grade. Maybe even become friends again."

Mouth pursed, Caroline considered the alternative. She could throw a fit and screw up all of Ms. James' assignments, but that would give Klaus the moral high ground. That definitely couldn't happen.

"Fine," she huffed, sitting back down. "But I am not taking your name."

"We can be the Forbes household," Klaus conceded, taking Bonnie's vacated seat as Caroline nodded, filling out their information packet. "What else do we need for today's assignment?"

"Naming the kids, choosing from one of the given career pools, and picking cars and a house," she read from the page. "It looks like we have a girl and a boy."

"I know you have names, love," Klaus said, shrugging.

"But they're your kids, too," Caroline pointed out, wincing at the implication. "I'm just saying, you should have a say just as much as I do."

Klaus's dimples made a soft appearance as she started haggling over names for their plastic babies. They eventually settled on Erik and Margaret Mikaelson Forbes, which was really just a formality. The real struggle was going to be setting up a feeding, sleeping, and care schedule for their little family.

Well, not so much setting it up as following through for the entire year.

Watching Klaus flip through the various houses they could choose from, Caroline bit her lip. She gave them a month before one of them quit.

* * *

"How do you change so many fewer nappies than I do?"

"Because I'm the one constantly feeding them or balancing the checkbook, Klaus! Besides, not all of us had younger siblings to hone our diaper-changing skills."

* * *

"You left my children with your sister?! She hates me!"

"She's technically their aunt, sweetheart, and I needed a nap."

"And I need an A! Please, I don't trust Rebekah with my grades."

* * *

Stuck with the babies for the night, Klaus let Rebekah drag him to the football game. He wasn't entirely unwilling, though, since Caroline would be cheering.

Their breakup was a low point for him, and it took a lot of cajoling to get Ms. James to allow him and Caroline to work together. He would never admit it to the blonde, but he really missed her. Even fighting with her over their fake children sparked something within him; he could only hope she missed him, too.

"I thought you were to keep the dolls away from me," Rebekah snarked as he loaded the carriers into the car. "Or are you finally done pining after that one?"

"Enough, Bekah," Klaus sighed, taking the driver's seat. He had never given much credence to Caroline's accusations that Rebekah hated her, purely since his baby sister just wanted what was best for him. But the more pointed comments she made, the more Klaus wondered what Rebekah actually saw the night of the disastrous party. "Caroline and I are in a good place right now. A platonic place."

Rebekah scoffed. "Sure," she mocked. "And I'll just pretend you won't stare at her while she cheers for Lockwood tonight."

Tightening his grip on the steering wheel, Klaus refused to answer. He had to admit, though, once he and Rebekah had settled in the stands with the babies, watching Caroline cheer wasn't nearly as enjoyable as he had expected.

* * *

Right after their half-time show, Caroline took a break to check on the babies. She rationalized that Klaus was in charge of her grade for the night, and she just wanted to make sure he didn't screw up. It had nothing to do with the blue of his shirt matching his eyes or the cute, harried look on his face as the second baby started to cry louder than the first.

"Hey," she cooed, picking up little Erik before glancing up to her 'husband.' "I didn't know you were coming tonight."

"Would it be too cheesy to say they missed their mom," Klaus asked, a little shyly.

"Yes," Rebekah interjected from his other side, much to Caroline's annoyance.

She hated that she was falling for the Mikaelson charm again, especially since a broken heart shouldn't have to go through the same thing twice. Yet, looking at Klaus, her heart just melted instead. "I don't know," she hedged. "It sounds kind of nice."

Rebekah made a retching sound and quickly left the vicinity.

"I told you she hates me," Caroline said, rolling her eyes. "But thanks for coming."

"For you, love," Klaus answered, smiling. "Anything."

It was entirely impulse, the weight of the babies between them clearly attracting like magnets. At least, that's the only explanation Caroline could come up with when she suddenly leaned forward to kiss her ex-boyfriend-slash-fake-husband. It was short and sweet, and it felt like coming home.

When she pulled away, she was hurt to find Klaus looking hesitant. "I'm sorry," she muttered, putting a settled Erik back in his carrier so she can rush back to the field.

"No, Caroline," Klaus said, grabbing her wrist while still holding Margaret. "I was the one to ask Ms. James to be partnered with you, I want this," he promised. "But I can't let you break my heart again."

"You're the one who broke mine, Klaus," Caroline insisted. "Nothing happened that night, and you didn't even give me the benefit of the doubt before humiliating me in front of everyone."

Letting his hand run from her wrist to interlace their fingers, Klaus sighed. "I know," he said. "But it's been two years. Maybe that's worth a clean slate?"

She bit her lip, barely noting the growing attention they were gaining from other students in the stands.

"Come on, love, take a chance," he pleaded. "I dare you."

A laugh burst out of her at the challenge, and she couldn't help but smile. Bolstered by her bright reaction, Klaus used the hand still holding hers to pull her down for another kiss. She ignored the cheers and jeers of their fellow students, only breaking away when Margaret erupted in her "hungry" cry.

Chuckling, Klaus looked down to the baby in his arm. "Aww, Margaret," he said. "You couldn't even give us a chance to enjoy ourselves?"

Planting a kiss on his cheek, Caroline winked. "I think she already did," she said, bouncing back down the bleachers to join her squad on the field.


End file.
